Yudh Nashian Virudh, Day 177: 76 smugglers held, 500gms heroin seized in Punjab

Over 120 police teams, comprising over 1,000 police personnel, under the supervision of 73 gazetted officers, have conducted raids across the state

As many as 76 drug smugglers were arrested after registration of 61 first information reports (FIRs) on Day 177 of the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign on Monday.

Representational image

Special DGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla said that with this, the total number of drug smugglers arrested has reached 27,163.

“The raids at 360 locations resulted in recovery of 525gms of heroin, 2,258 intoxicating tablets/capsules and ₹2,000 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers,” Shukla said.

Over 120 police teams, comprising over 1,000 police personnel, under the supervision of 73 gazetted officers, have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 370 suspicious persons during the day-long operation, he added.

Shukla added that the police, as part of a ‘de-addiction’ strategy, have convinced 19 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment.

Rehab programme for women

Health minister Dr Balbir Singh on Monday launched ‘one stop integrated programme for women who use drugs’ for the Kapurthala and Amritsar districts.

Giving details, Singh said that this programme, which will be known as the “Punjab Model for Women Drug Users”, aims to provide a comprehensive and compassionate health response across the state.

Speaking about the successful pilot project in Kapurthala, Dr Balbir Singh informed that 241 women drug user were registered and were provided with a wide range of health services. This integrated package included medical, surgical, and gynaecological check-ups, care for pregnant women and newborns, and harm reduction services. Additionally, it provided testing and treatment for HIV and Hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis care, STI treatment, and counselling. The programme had successfully linked 81 women to treatment at OOAT clinics and connected them with social security schemes.